New Italian Book on 1976-86 GIG Toys, including Diaclone, Micronauts, Transformers

From Italian agency Phasar, we have news of a new book that fleshes out some more of the weird history of toys released in Italy pre-dating the anglophone world's arrival onto the scene: the Ferrareses' Dieci Anni nel Paese delle Meraviglie ('Ten Years in Wonderland'). If you don't know of the various claims to fame from different companies as to 'who had Transformers first', if you think the whole thing was hilarious, if you just want to find out more - and if you can read Italian - this is probably the book for you! Check out the blurb and its English translation (from yours truly) below, including the salty contents about Hasbro.

A book that follows the path that led to the creation of adverts for the GIG toys, during 1976-86: the human and professional experience of Alberto Ferrarese, owner and associate of the Florence-based Phasar agency; anecdotes, memories and backstage stories on the main players of the time and the birth of the various advertising campaigns; all the images from the TV spots and the weekly Topolino [Mickey Mouse] appearances of the more important and famous GIG products.

[...]

• Micronauts, GIG and Jeeg Robot: winning correlations and associations.
• The never-seen-before story behind the creation of the magnetic green and red Micronauts (Green Baron and King Atlas).
• From Micronauts to Diaclone and Trasformer [not a typo!]: the evolution of the notion of 'transformation'.
• Trasformer: the origin of the toyline's name and why it wasn't GIG who copied Hasbro.

Re: New Italian Book on 1976-86 GIG Toys, including Diaclone, Micronauts, Transformers (1841042)
Posted by frogbat on November 14th, 2016 @ 8:13am CST

thnx for this.. i grew up with italian transformers - my first were the gig "trasformer" and i recall lots of the tv spots and some of the printed ones too (The "topolino" referenced in the blurb is a children's disney comics magazine). To this day I'm still fascinated by the lancia stratos robot mode in the the GIG catalogue...

Re: New Italian Book on 1976-86 GIG Toys, including Diaclone, Micronauts, Transformers (1841058)
Posted by Sabrblade on November 14th, 2016 @ 9:14am CST

I see some Playmobil on that cover.

On the page with the gold and green bots, I chuckle at seeing use of the names "King Atlas" and "Floron", which are two names that would eventually go on to be used in Transformers stuff (albeit, most likely coincidentally).

Re: New Italian Book on 1976-86 GIG Toys, including Diaclone, Micronauts, Transformers (1841062)
Posted by Va'al on November 14th, 2016 @ 9:36am CST

frogbat wrote:thnx for this.. i grew up with italian transformers - my first were the gig "trasformer" and i recall lots of the tv spots and some of the printed ones too (The "topolino" referenced in the blurb is a children's disney comics magazine). To this day I'm still fascinated by the lancia stratos robot mode in the the GIG catalogue...

Oh I know, I had a subscription to Topolino until the age of 19!

I'm considering buying the book to provide a review/translation of relevant parts..

Re: New Italian Book on 1976-86 GIG Toys, including Diaclone, Micronauts, Transformers (1841153)
Posted by frogbat on November 14th, 2016 @ 3:03pm CST

That would be awesome if you manage

Re: New Italian Book on 1976-86 GIG Toys, including Diaclone, Micronauts, Transformers (1841391)
Posted by Emerje on November 15th, 2016 @ 9:13pm CST

I didn't realize how much stuff GIG did. I see Gargo on the cover from Blackstar, and what's the deal with those remolded Micronauts? I guess Baron Karza wasn't far enough from looking like Jeeg.

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